Letter and word choice text input method for keyboards and reduced keyboard systems

• US 20070061753A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xrgomics Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: Xrgomics Pte Limited
• Inventors: Tan, Chin, Ng, Edwin, Oh, Joo
• Application Number:
  US10/564,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/816
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

A method for entering text efficiently by providing letter or word choices. The method includes letter choices to aid inputting accented, diacritic or special characters and a more efficient method to suggest word completion choices including words with accented, diacritic or special characters. This method can be used to enhance any existing text input systems, even reduced keyboard systems. The method also includes a more efficient method to select and input the letter or word choices. This allows for hybrid keyboard systems where physical keys are used in concert with a screen input system to input the letter or word choice.

Claims

1. A method of inputting for a text input system, wherein to input a data value or data symbol on a keyboard using a letter and word choice text input method comprising the steps of:

inputting a character using the keyboard;

matching the unambiguous character inputted with a stored keystroke in a database, the stored keystroke having associated letter choices stored in the database wherein the associated letter choice is a data value or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke;

matching the beginning of the keystroke sequence with a stored keystroke sequence in a database, the stored keystroke sequence having associated word choices stored in the database wherein the associated word choice is a data value or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke sequence;

displaying as text input the data value or data symbol assigned to the inputted character or keystroke sequence;

displaying the matching letter choices associated with the character; and

displaying the matching word choices associated with the beginning keystroke sequence.

2. A method of inputting as claimed in claim 1 wherein the letter choice are accented or diacritic variations of the associated character.

3. A method of inputting of claim 1 further comprising the step:

selecting a new choice; and

displaying the new choice as text input over the previous displayed text.

4. A method of inputting of claim 3 further comprising the step:

displaying as text input again the data value or data symbol if the same choice is selected again.

5. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the choices are displayed in a predetermined window or display area.

6. A method of inputting of claim 5 wherein the predetermined window or display area is on a screen input system and the choices can be selected directly from the screen.

7. A method of inputting of claim 5 wherein short-cut keys are associated or displayed beside the choices.

8. A method of inputting of claim 7 further comprising the step:

pressing the short-cut key; and

displaying the choice associated with the short-cut key as text input over the previous displayed text.

9. A method of inputting of claim 5 further comprising the step:

cycling between lists of choices of other possible data values and data symbols associated with the character or beginning of the keystroke sequence if the letter or word choices are too much to display within the predetermined window or display area;

selecting the choice; and

displaying the new choice as text input over the previous displayed text.

10. A method of inputting of claim 5 further comprising the step:

cycling between the letter or word choice; and

displaying the next choice as text input over the previous displayed text.

11. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the order of the associated letter choices of the matching having an order of the most recently selected data to the least recently selected data.

12. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the stored keystroke sequence is only for a predetermined range of number of characters.

13. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the number of associated word choices of the matching has a predetermined maximum number.

14. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the order of the associated word choices of the matching having an order of the most recently selected data associated with the same beginning keystroke sequence to the least recently selected data associated with the same beginning keystroke sequence.

15. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the associated word choice of the matching has a predetermined minimum character length.

16. A method of inputting of claim 15 wherein all selected or inputted data with the minimum character length will be stored in the database of the matching as the most recently selected data associated with the same beginning keystroke sequence.

17. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the word choice can contain accented and diacritic characters but the stored keystroke sequence only contains the corresponding normal characters or unaccented representation.

18. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein the keyboard can be any text input system or virtual text input system.

19. A method of inputting of claim 18 wherein the keyboard is part of a reduced keyboard system.

20. A method of inputting of in claim 19 wherein the character could be one of the characters in a multi-character key.

21. A method of inputting of claim 20 further comprising the step:

matching the keystroke inputted with a stored keystroke in a database, the stored keystroke having associated letter choices stored in the database wherein the associated letter choice is a data value or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke;

matching the beginning of the keystroke sequence with a stored keystroke sequence in a database, the stored keystroke sequence having associated word choices stored in the database wherein the associated word choice is a data value or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke sequence;

displaying the matching letter choices associated with the keystroke;

displaying the matching word choices associated with the beginning keystroke sequence; and

performing as per a multi-character key input, if the character or multi-character key representing the character is inputted ambiguously.

22. A method of inputting of claim 21 further comprising the step:

inputting the beginning characters unambiguously using the keyboard;

inputting the following characters ambiguously using the keyboard;

matching the keystroke sequence or the beginning of the keystroke sequence with a stored keystroke sequence in a database, the stored keystroke sequence having associated word choices stored in the database wherein the associated word choice is a data value or a data symbol associated with the stored keystroke sequence;

displaying as text input the data value or data symbol with the same beginning characters assigned to the keystroke; and

displaying the matching word choices with the same beginning characters associated with the keystroke sequence.

23. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein a choice of punctuations &

symbols will be displayed on pressing a key or a combination of keys.

24. A method of inputting of claim 1 wherein a choice of numerals will be displayed on pressing a key or a combination of keys.

25. A letter choice and word choice text input system comprising:

a keyboard or text input detector;

a database for storing letter or word choice wherein the letter or word choice is a data value or data symbol associated with an input keystroke of the keys or an input keystroke sequence of the keys respectively;

a display for displaying the letter choices or word choices; and

a display for displaying the inputted text.

26. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein the letter choice are accented or diacritic variations of the associated keystroke.

27. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein the letter or word choices are displayed in a predetermined window or display area.

28. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 27 wherein the predetermined window or display area is in single or double rows.

29. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 28 wherein the double row is to separate letter choices and word choices or inputted text with choices

30. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 27 wherein the predetermined window or display area is on a screen input system and the letter or word choices can be selected directly from the screen.

31. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 27 wherein there is a key for cycling between choices.

32. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 27 wherein there is a key for cycling between list of choices if the letter or word choices are too much to display within the predetermined window or display area.

33. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein the data stored is stored in the order of the most recently selected data to the least recently selected data.

34. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein the letter and word choices are presented in fixed numbers or groups of fixed numbers.

35. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 34 wherein short-cuts are associated with the letter and word choices.

36. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 35 wherein an auxiliary key or shift key is used in concert with other keys to function as short-cuts.

37. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 36 wherein the auxiliary key or shift key can be sticky or pressed together with other keys to differentiate between the normal auxiliary or shift function and the short-cut function.

38. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein the keyboard can be any text input system or virtual text input system.

39. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 38 wherein the keyboard is a reduced keyboard system.

40. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 39 wherein the beginning text can be entered unambiguously and then followed by ambiguous text inputting where only choices with the same starting text as the beginning unambiguous text input are displayed.

41. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein a choice of punctuations &

symbols will be displayed on pressing a key or a combination of keys.

42. A letter choice and word choice text input system of claim 25 wherein a choice of numerals will be displayed on pressing a key or a combination of keys.